Pat Duncan facts for kids

Patricia Jane Duncan (born April 8, 1960) is a Canadian politician from Yukon. She served as the leader of the Yukon Liberal Party from 1998 to 2005. Pat Duncan was the sixth premier of Yukon, holding the position from 2000 to 2002.

She made history as the first Liberal premier of the Yukon. She was also the first female premier in the Yukon. Duncan was the second woman in Canadian history to become a premier after winning a general election. She was the first to defeat an existing premier and the first to defeat a male opponent. On December 12, 2018, Duncan was appointed to the Senate of Canada.

Early Life and Education

Pat Duncan was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1960. Her family moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 1964. She later studied at Carleton University. Duncan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. This means she studied how governments work.

Before Entering Politics

Before becoming a politician, Pat Duncan owned a small business. She also worked as the executive director for the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce. This group helps local businesses. In the mid-1980s, Duncan was a special assistant. She worked for Erik Nielsen, who was a Deputy Prime Minister. He was part of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Duncan stayed in this role until Nielsen retired in 1987.

Yukon Political Career

Pat Duncan's journey in politics began in the Yukon. She became a strong voice for her community.

First Election to the Assembly

In 1996, Pat Duncan was first elected. She became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). This is like being a representative for a specific area. She represented the Porter Creek South area in Whitehorse. In that election, the New Democratic Party won. Duncan was one of only three Liberals elected.

Leading the Yukon Liberal Party

In 1998, Duncan was chosen as the leader of the Yukon Liberal Party. From 1998 to 2000, she served as the Leader of the Official Opposition. This means her party was the main group against the government.

Becoming Premier of Yukon

In the 2000 election, Pat Duncan led her party to victory. The Yukon Liberal Party won enough seats to form a majority government. She defeated the existing premier, Piers McDonald. The Liberals won 10 seats and received 42.7% of the votes. This made Pat Duncan the new Premier of Yukon.

Challenges as Premier

In early 2002, the Liberal government faced a challenge. Three Liberal MLAs left the party. This meant the Liberals no longer had a majority. Their government became a minority government. Some reports suggested this happened because of Duncan's leadership style.

On October 4, 2002, Duncan called another election. This was only two years into her five-year term. She wanted to bring stability back to the legislature. However, many people in Yukon were upset about the quick election.

After the 2002 Election

The 2002 election was tough for the Liberals. They won only one seat, which was Pat Duncan's own riding. Dennis Fentie, leader of the Yukon Party, won the election. The Liberals became the third-largest party. Duncan was their only MLA.

In 2005, the Yukon Liberal Party held a leadership meeting. Pat Duncan was challenged by Arthur Mitchell. She lost the leadership vote. Citing health reasons, she decided not to run for re-election in 2006.

Electoral Results

Here are the results from the elections Pat Duncan ran in:

Yukon General Election, 2002

Yukon General Election, 2000

Yukon General Election, 1996